Honest nonpartisan question on healthcare reform…?

Question by Mr Christopher: Honest nonpartisan question on healthcare reform…?
I know that there are several bills out there on healthcare, all of which have good points and bad points (from what I hear). I’m more of a foreign policy buff, but I figured I would start inching my way into the debate here. I downloaded and have been reading HR 3200, which is the bill that Fox News is out to kill (for whatever reason). So when I started reading it, I thought I would find some offensive stuff (I’m more of a financial conservative), but I have found nothing yet (it’s like 1,000 pages, so I haven’t read the whole thing yet) that has offended me or made me think for one minute that I wouldn’t like the reforms brought about by this bill. Some key points I found in the bill itself (these are my notes):

* Protects rights to keep currently held health insurance policies
* Cannot discriminate based on pre-existing conditions
* Limits the allowed methods of varying premiums
* Prohibits discrimination in benefits
* Requires parity in mental health and substance abuse disorder benefits
* Ensures adequacy of provider networks
* Mandates minimum coverage that includes hospitalization, outpatient hospital and clinic services (including ER visits), private practitioner services (regular doctor visits), supplies necessary for treatment, prescription drugs, rehab, mental health and substance abuse disorder services, preventive services, maternity care, well baby and well child care (oral, health, vision, and hearing services, equipment, and supplies for children under the age of 21)
* Requires fair marketing practices by health insurers (uniform marketing standards)
* Requires fair grievance and appeals mechanisms
* Requires information transparency and accurate, timely plan disclosure using plain language
* Mandates timely payment of claims by insurance companies
* Creates a Health Insurance Exchange with Public Health Insurance option
* Prohibits discrimination in healthcare not offered through exchange
* Offers protections to whistleblowers
* In order to ensure value and lower premiums, all group and individual coverage must meet a specified medical loss ratio
* Ends health insurance rescission abuse, which prevents companies from abusing protections created to prevent fraud (companies unreasonably end coverage based on these protections)
* Creates the opportunity for independent, external, third-party review in cases of rescission
* Creates reinsurance program for retirees
* Mandates affordability premium credits for individuals
* “No federal payment for undocumented aliens.”
* Notes that it is an individual’s responsibility to obtain healthcare
* Outlines employer responsibilities should an employee choose to offer health insurance to its employees

These are just a few of the more important points I have found thus far. From the figures I’ve heard, our government wastes more than trillion on healthcare each year anyway, and that pretty much ANY new program would be less expensive (though a cost-neutral plan would be preferred to save taxpayer dollars). From what I’ve seen, any NEW bill would be better than the system we have now (though I don’t think I would support universal healthcare and drastic changes to the health delivery system). Please give me YOUR OPINIONS on this issue, and please do not recite Fox News, MSNBC, or any other partisan hacks. If I want their opinions I could waste my time by watching their shows.
Sorry about the wall of text, lol.

hotnwell… Will definitely put something up if I find the death panels! lol

ObamaCar… if you didn’t notice the quotes… that is a direct quote from the bill… that’s how i can say that.
I see and hear everyday talk about death panels, socialized medicine, etc. attacks against Obama. The bill Obama supports and all the bills I’ve seen so far are not Universal Healthcare, so what is the socialization argument based on? It is sad that these scare tactics DO work on the American people, and it is even worse that you can easily view the bills yourself but everyone is too lazy.

Best answer:

Answer by dnafairy
Questions soliciting honest answers followed by a giant wall of text should be outlawed this late at night.

Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!